Airtex Fuel Pumps - Buyer Beware

[Rick Norwood]

O.K. here is what you do. Take the AIRTEX PIECE OF CRAP back to the parts store, put on your best pissed off face, and demand a new pump only this time, tell them you will not accept another AIRTEX PIECE OF CRAP, and you are willing to pay the difference for an AC-Delco. If they don't have AC-Delco, get your money back an go somewhere else and buy/order one.

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by Leadhead

I have a '98 Suburan with the 6.5 diesel. The fuel pump went out on it a while back, so I went and bought a replacement--an AirTex. This particular filter mounts on the frame rail and is easy to access, fortunately. After installing it, I primed the system and took it for a test drive. The truck died less than a mile down the road. After re-priming the fuel system I started it and.....died less than a mile down the road. Sometimes it would actually make it a full mile if lucky. It would idle in the driveway for 30 minutes, but as soon as it was under a load it would starve within a mile. I took it back to OhReally?'s, got it replaced under warranty and installed the new one. The truck started and ran, but had a "miss" when under a load. The next day we drove to church, 35 miles away and it made it all the way there, then 5 or 6 miles to our friends' home for Sunday dinner. On the 5 or 6 mile trip back to church in the evening it died twice but started again after a few minutes. When leaving church to go home it started but died before even pulling out of the parking spot. Long story short, it died several more times on the way home before finally curling up its toes for good. I tried to prime the fuel system but it had minimal pressure coming from the purge valve. After doing so the truck did start but died after idling for maybe 10-20 seconds. Looks like I get to take this one back for another one AGAIN.

Do not take it back and get another junk one.

Pitch it back over the counter at who ever sold to you and tell them you want a good Ac-delco/delphi pump and labor and pain at no charge and renbersement for all of the trouble the air tex pump gave you.

Let us know how that goes.

[Rick Norwood]

Here is another update. Within a day or so, It will be exactly two years since I removed the Airtex PIECE OF CRAP pump from my 2000 Jimmy SLE and replaced it with an AC Delco pump. I am only too happy to report that I have not had 1 single issue with the AC Delco pump. The Gas Gauge sending unit is working perfectly and the truck primes and starts every time.

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of changing your Fuel Filter a minimum of once a year. AND ABOVE ALL ELSE STAY AWAY FROM AFTERMARKET AIRTEX GARBAGE PUMPS. You'll thank me in the long run.

[SurfBeat]

On June 10, 2010 my OEM GM fuel pump went bad, so, off to Auto Zone I went to purchase a replacement.

The salesman told me that the Airtech was the way to go, plus it was cheaper (I can't remember how much cheaper) so I bought it, pulled the tank and replaced the OEM fuel pump.

In February I began hearing a hissing sound from underneath the car, then my gas gauge started acting like a windshield washer when the tank fell below 1/2.

A few days ago I had to hit the ignition a couple times to cranks my car over, so, off to AZ I went to get a replacement. The manager agreed to give me a 15% discount on another Airtech.

Because my mechanic friend told me to only use a Delphi fuel pump if I don't want to have problems again I told him I wanted a Delphi. He gave me the same discount. Here goes another $225 and 3 three hours of work.

On a side note my mechanic friend told me that he installed a 4USA fuel pump he got from ebay for $50 on a customers car a few years ago and it was still working.

I went on ebay to check it out and although I am a thrifty guy, thus I would like saving a few hundred bucks on this purchase, because I know it was a pain in the @$$ to replace the Airtech, I think I will follow Rick's advice and go for the Delphi.

I enjoy going to the Colorado River in the summer and breaking down in the desert is something I do not want to experience.

[SurfBeat]

Let me clarify my last post.

On June 10, 2010 I replaced my Delphi fuel pump for one manufactured by Airtech.

The following year, around November or December of 2011 I began hearing a hissing sound from underneath my car (below the drivers seat) when I cranked it over. I am not a mechanic, however, I just had a feeling the nosie was the result of the fuel pump. (It was not the fuel filter which islocated directly under the door.

Around the first part of February 2012 I noticed the fuel gauge began imitating a windshield washer, erratically bobbing and weaving from left to right when the gas tank's contents was below full.

A few days ago, the beginning of August 2012 I noticed, on occasion, it took a few cranks to start my car, them a few days ago, August 10, 2012, it began acting exactly the way it did prior to replacing my fuel pump: having to prime the pump for a few seconds to get it to start.

Today, on a whim I logged onto ebay to check out fuel pumps and to my surprise I saw dozens priced from $45 to $89. Boy was I happy. Then, when I started to read the Feedback, although there were many, many more happy campers than un-happy ones, I paused and thought: Joey G, do you really think the Chinese can make a good product, one that will last? Just go to Chink-Mart to see the inferior quality of Chinese products.

I then decided to check out complaints about AirTech fuel pumps and came across this Board.

Without doubt, saving a few hundred bucks is very appealing to me to this thrifty guy who always wants to save a buck, however, because I have better things to do than spend 3-4 hours replacing a fuel pump, I've decided to follow Rick's advice, go for the Delphi and take my time to register this unhappy AirTech customer's opinion.

Based upon the complaints registered on this Board, my inauspicious experience with AirTech fuel pumps is not isolated, but quite common.

Instead of goofing off tomorrow as planned, I will be off to Auto Zone to purchase a Delphi fuel pump; jacking the rear of my car up and dropping the gas tank. That is BS.

[Rick Norwood]

Thanks for sharing Surfbeat. I wish more people would surf for answers BEFORE buying Airtex Sh*t pumps.

[SurfBeat]

Another amendment to my previous post: 1) Even with the ten per-cent discount that Auto Zone was going to give me on a replacement Airtech or Delphi fuel pump to keep me a happy customer; 2) even considering my mechanic friend's statement that he put an e-bay bought 4USA brand fuel filter in a customers car two years ago and it is still working fine; 3) when considering the info on this Thread; and 4) my mechanic friend's advice to only use a Delphi fuel pump in a Blazer type vehicle, which includes GMC Jimmy's and Olds Bravada's, I decided to purchase a Delphi on Amazon yesterday at a cost of only $175.00

That is a big savings over AZ and less than an Airtech, though at least three times more expensive than the Chinese made fuel pumps hawked on e-bay.

I have better things to do with my time than dropping fuel tanks every year or so, so, I will dish out the extra moola.

On a side note, the manager at AZ told me on Saturday he replaced his fuel pump with an Airtech a couple years ago and had not experienced any problems.

Today when I went to purchase some anti freeze he told me his fuel pump may be giving him problems; fuel gauge bobbin and weaving.

That's all folks.

[Rick Norwood]

You will not go wrong with the AC/Delco Delphi pump.

I have been told by Parts Store Counter help all of the following (and it is ALL BullSh*t):

1, We never get returns on AirTex Pumps. (Big Lie)
2, You're the first guy to EVER return an Airtex Pump. (Bigger Lie)
3, I've had an Airtex Pump in my Truck for xx Years with no trouble. (Got Lucky or another lie)
4, Almost half of the returned pumps have nothing wrong with them. (Sales pitch propaganda = More lies)
5, I get more returns on other pumps including AC Delco than Airtex. (not BS, this is Horsesh*t)

[j cAT]

all the part stores will tell you that airtex is the greatest. even with the warantee being lifetime who wants to deal with unreliable parts.

make sure that delphi pump is not a chinese clone.

I was lucky with a hub bearing made in china that just before the 2yr warantee ended it suddenly broke. vehicle/abs would not make the brakes work. I then replaced with a timken for 2X the cost and got my 90.oo back on that chinese piece of crap.

abs / bearings now work like new.

[Rick Norwood]

Airtex started a lifetime guarantee on their garbage pumps? Oh Boy, that's a hoot!

The PARTS STORES in all likelihood won't honor it. After about 6 months, they'll almost all tell you to go pound sand. I wonder if they're gonna pay for labor too?

DON'T BE FOOLED! STAY AWAY FROM THEIR PROPAGANDA AND THEIR GARBAGE PUMPS.

[Rick Norwood]

Here's the thing about guarantees and warranties.

Remember the old ... "OR YOUR MONEY BACK" line?

You can sell ANYTHING TO ANYONE as long as you say "OR YOUR MONEY BACK". Snake Oil, Copper Wrist Bands, Magnets for your feet, Diet Plans, Airtex Fuel Pumps anything.

Don't forget, the labor, either time or money, and the inconvenience of repeatedly being without your vehicle.

[SurfBeat]

I ordered a Delphi fuel pump on Amazon from Partsfactor out of Phonenix, AZ on Sunday, and it arrived Tuesday morning. The cost: $175.00. I am going to drop the gas tank on Friday and toss out the inferior Airtex. Partsfactor had a 95% approval rating and from all appearances, the Delphi does not look like a clone.

Auto Zone and O'Reilly's wanted $365.00 plus tax for the same product and by investing an hours worth of time on Sunday to research different sellers and products on ebay (most were peddling fuel pumps made in China for about $45-$89, then popping over to Amazon, I got what I was looking for; a good, reliable pump at a great cost.

Learn from my research and Norwood, just buy a Delphi for the best price you can find.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by SurfBeat

I ordered a Delphi fuel pump on Amazon from Partsfactor out of Phonenix, AZ on Sunday, and it arrived Tuesday morning. The cost: $175.00. I am going to drop the gas tank on Friday and toss out the inferior Airtex. Partsfactor had a 95% approval rating and from all appearances, the Delphi does not look like a clone.

Auto Zone and O'Reilly's wanted $365.00 plus tax for the same product and by investing an hours worth of time on Sunday to research different sellers and products on ebay (most were peddling fuel pumps made in China for about $45-$89, then popping over to Amazon, I got what I was looking for; a good, reliable pump at a great cost.

Learn from my research and Norwood, just buy a Delphi for the best price you can find.

thanks for the supplier/price info

[SurfBeat]

I found Partsfactor on Amazon, but they may have a web-site on the Internet apart from Amazon????

The label on the shipping box was: Pro Parts, 2215 W. Fillmore Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85009

I don't remember if there was a phone number on the Amazon ad. I do recall the item was being sold for $188 plus shipping and Amazon gave a $30 rebate. I jumped on it.

When I checked ebay there was a myriad of Blazer/Jimmy/Bravada fuel pumps for sale at real cheap prices, $49 to $89 and albeit a mechanic friend told me he installed the fuel pump he bought from the company"4USA" (on ebay) on a customer's car two years ago and had not received any negative feedback thus far, I was not going to take the chance of buying a product made in China and then have to worry about spending another morning dropping the gas tank to replace another defective fuel pump. Once is enough.

Doing the task is not difficult, it si just a PIA.

Good luck.

[SurfBeat]

Phone number for PartsFactor: 866-851-0549

I am not hawking their product, just pointing out I got the best price from them for a Delphi FG-0052 which is the fuel pump for a 97-01 Blazer/Jimmy/Bravada.